As mentioned earlier, cannabis can have some positive effects when it comes to sleep quality and quantity. While most people agree that smoking just before bedtime is not ideal, there are ways to enjoy marijuana without experiencing too much disruption of sleep.
There are several different types of cannabis products that contain THC or CBD. Medical users typically take either whole plant extracts such as pills or oils, or purified cannabinoids like dronabinol (DRN) or nabilone (NBAL).
Some studies suggest that ingesting smaller amounts of certain cannabinoids in the evening may help promote sleep, by acting more similarly to what we already know about natural sleep hormones.
But until research confirms this, we cannot recommend trying out any specific product for sleep assistance. More info on each type of cannabinoid here!
I’d also recommend only consuming small amounts of cannabis in the evenings, since higher doses can be linked with insomnia.
How cannabis can affect sleep
Recent studies have shown that there are several ways in which marijuana can influence your sleep. These effects seem to get stronger as higher doses of weed are used or longer periods of time pass since last use.
Many people begin using marijuana in their early twenties, so it is not surprising that some of the impacts it has on sleep occur then. As we grow older, however, things become more nuanced.
Some aspects of sleep may actually improve as you roll up and down various strains of pot. This includes getting into the nightfall-sleep pattern and sleeping well throughout the night. Other times, though, cannabis can leave you feeling tired and uninterested in staying awake for very long.
There are three main reasons why cannabis could be preventing you from getting quality sleep. They go hand in hand with each other, making this challenge even harder to overcome.
Reason number one: THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) – the compound in cannabis that makes you feel high
Thc levels in cannabis slowly drop off as it is burned or processed away during use. This is what gives rise to the term “dying” before you realize something important about someone.
When you eventually do wake up, it can take a while to process all of the information floating around in your brain.
How cannabis use can affect sleep
Recent studies suggest that marijuana users may be more likely to experience insomnia or poor quality sleep than non-users. This could be due to several factors, such as stress from daily life changes, alcohol consumption before bedtime, or using smoking cigarettes instead of vaping or consuming oils.
Other possible reasons include substances in the weed such as THC (the compound in cannabis responsible for its euphoric effect) interacting with chemicals in your body known to promote wakefulness, and/or cannabinoids suppressing levels of hormones like cortisol, which help regulate sleep.
Some research suggests that habitual pot smokers tend to get night time shifts of activity so they are awake during what would otherwise be sleeping hours. This may keep them up later at night when they want to go to sleep, and vice versa.
What does this mean for you?
If you’re a frequent user of cannabis, it’s important to note how it affects you both positively and negatively when it comes to sleep.
Making sure you don’t consume too much one hour prior to bedtime can have positive effects on sleep. On the other hand, if you find yourself waking frequently through the night, try limiting your cannabis intake or finding ways to manage your stress.
Alternatively, consider trying CBD products, which do not contain THC. Some say it has similar benefits to CBD oil, while others claim it is less psychologically active.
Cannabis and sleep disorders
There have been many studies done about the effects of cannabis on sleep, with some showing positive impacts and others negative. One major factor in determining how well it works is how you use marijuana before bedtime.
For example, one study found that smoking a full bowl of weed left people feeling awake for several hours after they went to bed. You can probably guess what happened next!
That doesn’t mean you should avoid sleeping around THC, but you do need to make sure it’s gone from your system before bed. Because once it binds to certain receptors in your body, it can be tough to get rid of it.
This process takes time, so start slowly by having an evening ritual where you wash out any traces of cannabis. That way, you’ll know just like anything else – your bed will be waiting for you when you’re ready!
Another myth is that smoking CBD helps you relax and sleep better. This isn’t always the case because there may still be trace amounts of THC left in your blood when you wake up.
Cannabis and sleep cycles
As mentioned before, cannabis can have various effects on your body and mind, including impacts on sleep. Recent research suggests that marijuana may actually be able to help you get more restful sleep.
A few studies indicate that THC (the compound in cannabis that makes it feel good) can work to improve sleep quality. People who use cannabis report having fewer night time wakeups and better quality sleep than people who do not use marijuana.
However, other studies have found no effect of cannabis on sleep quality or duration. It is important to note that most studies looking at the impact of cannabis on sleep are done using self-reported data. This means that participants simply tell researchers how much cannabis they used and whether it helped them sleep or not.
No one has ever been randomly assigned to use cannabis or a placebo for sleep, so we cannot say with certainty what happens to sleep when someone uses cannabis after sleeping. Additionally, there is some evidence indicating that smoking cannabis may interfere with sleep even if you are not fully awake while doing it.
Cannabis and sleep hygiene are strategies that focus on things like limiting alcohol intake, avoiding nicotine, and managing stressors to promote healthy sleep. Because cannabis is a sleep aid, practicing sleep hygiene will likely make it less effective.
I would also recommend against using cannabis as a sleep aid unless under medical supervision because of potential side effects.
Does cannabis make you sleepier?
While many people enjoy smoking marijuana before bed, there are some studies that suggest it may not help you get more rest. Instead, it could possibly keep you awake longer during the night. Some research even suggests that cannabis can be linked to insomnia, making it harder for your body to fall asleep and stay asleep.
A few things can influence how well your body sleeps. Having too much caffeine or alcohol in the day will probably hurt your quality of sleep, as will being hungry. Certain medications also affect sleep, so check with your doctor if you’re concerned about pot helping you relax or sleeping better.
But what if you want to have a little smoke before bed? There are ways to do this safely!
You can use tinctures instead of dried flower. A tincture is just pure THC dissolved in alcohol or oil. For example, one way to use tinctures to start off with is two drops of liquid per ounce of smoked weed – i.e., twenty-fourteen drops for an entire bottle.
Drinking the whole bottle at once is okay because the drugs take time to work, and you can stop when you feel sleepy.
Are there certain times of day you should use cannabis?
When it comes to sleep, timing is important! There are several reasons why.
Firstly, we need different amounts of sleep at various time periods throughout the night. For example, we require more sleep in the early hours of the morning than us older people need who are sleeping later in the evening.
Secondly, some things can’t be done while asleep (like walking or swimming), so being awake during crucial stages of sleep means not able to enjoy them.
Thirdly, if you wake up frequently for no reason then your body will keep going into over-sleep mode which can cause other health problems like insomnia.
So, how do we achieve the best possible quality sleep when using marijuana?
There are two main strategies: before bed or after bed.
The first one looks more like giving yourself a goodnight kiss before getting into bed, whereas the second one involves laying down and relaxing after washing and grooming yourself.
Will smoking cannabis affect your sleep quality?
While there have been some studies suggesting that marijuana can be linked to poor sleep, this correlation is not clear or consistent. Some research even suggests that cannabinoids may actually help promote good sleep!
There are several reasons why it could be difficult to get a good night’s rest while under the influence of THC. For one, marijuana contains both cannabidiol (CBD) and delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), two compounds that have different effects when it comes to stimulating sleep.
It also takes time for our bodies to process and rid themselves of all traces of THC after we smoke it. This can leave you awake and struggling to fall asleep, as well as wake you up in the middle of the night due to anxiety or physical discomfort.
On top of that, some people experience disturbed sleep due to underlying health conditions like arthritis or depression. Having adequate sleep helps regulate hormones and balance other substances in your body, so if either of these are impaired, it can interfere with your overall wellness.
This article will discuss how ingesting CBD before bedtime can potentially improve your sleep.
Are there certain strains of cannabis that affect sleep?
While not every person in this country has access to marijuana, those who do can vary how it is used. Some people use smoking or vaping as their method of consumption while others ingestible forms such as oils or salves are more prevalent.
One area that patients may be concerned about when trying out different types of medical marijuana is if there are any effects on sleep.
It seems like everyone has a different opinion on what substances help you get some good night’s rest. Some say CBD helps them relax and enjoy sleeping better, while other users report poor quality of sleep due to anxiety or insomnia.
There have been studies done looking into whether specific cannabinoids aid in promoting sleep, but none have really shown much success.
A study conducted in 2016 analyzed the effect THC (the active compound in cannabis) had on 20 individuals. The researchers was unable to determine an impact on sleep despite all participants reporting improved overall sleep.
Another small clinical trial looked at the effectiveness of cannabidiol (CBD) on eight children with intractable epilepsy. All participants experienced improvements in seizure frequency, but no changes in sleep were reported.
